


Garlic Breath

by Unnethe



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Canon Age Difference, Chef Ben Solo, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Dirty Talk, F/M, Fluff and Smut, I just wanted to make a garlic joke, Minor Poe Dameron/Finn, No Pregnancy, Older Man/Younger Woman, Oral Sex, Soft Ben Solo, Vaginal Sex, finnpoe wine bar best wine bar, happy little one-shot, minor Rose/Jannah, restaurant stuff, that's basically the fic, vaguely dominant Ben Solo, with a lot of food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:09:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unnethe/pseuds/Unnethe
Summary: Ben makes a powerful connection with Rey when he hits on her in a restaurant. It’s certainly not bland. Or under-seasoned.(A fluffy, smutty one-shot.)
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 28
Kudos: 134





	Garlic Breath

**Author's Note:**

> Despite some more angsty longer stories I'm working on but haven't published, what my brain wants is to spit out fluff because... wow a lot of stuff is horrible atm.
> 
> Wherever you are in the world I wish you safety and wellness, and that there is justice for whatever issues your community is facing & an end to the virus. 
> 
> On which note, as a non-American I found the [Minnesota Freedom Fund](https://www.givemn.org/organization/Minnesota-Freedom-Fund) [Edit: they are overwhelmed with donations, so e.g. [Chicago Community Bond Fund](https://chicagobond.org/donate/) as an alternative] accepts international donations without needing a US passport/address (if you are financially able & the human rights situation in your own country allows). #BlackLivesMatter everywhere. No justice, no peace.
> 
> Appendix in endnotes as is my habit...

Rey munched through the briny olives and pickled garlic, pursing her lips to spit each pit into the pottery bowl’s twin and letting the softly crooning Spanish pop wash over her. Understanding only a few snatches of the lyrics from words she’d picked up over the last couple of years.

It was familiar and lulling and her stomach was pleasantly full already with mouthfuls of quail huevos rotos she didn’t have to share, sitting here alone.

The chile relleno, mini garnachas, and chicharrones y carnitas doused in freshly squeezed lime and scooped with small tortillas for deeply satisfying bites shovelled into her mouth.

She’d been trying not to moan too loudly in the half-full space, not even around slices of herbaceous, spiced moronga made to Poe’s abuela’s recipe. But good food was _good food_ and Finn’s amused grin from behind the bar where she was perched on a stool showed she wasn’t being that subtle.

No matter, Kes had always told her before he’d retired that there was no greater compliment to a cook than to see their recipes so intensely enjoyed.

“Every time you’re here you eat like it’s your first time having something well seasoned, Peanut,” her friend dimpled cheekily as he filled a wine glass for a customer. Knowing full well the food in student halls was dire.

“We should put you on banner ads – stop in at Boquitas y Vinos Dameron and you too can be as happy as this beauty!”

Rey grinned and spat another pit, reaching for her almost empty glass of rioja.

“Slap some lipstick on me, I’m for it. You two already give me enough discounts and free food so you have my undying devotion.”

“Oh we _know_ , it’s the way to your heart,” Finn laughed, dark umber skin taking on a more golden under-glow in the direct but low, warm light.

She liked this easy happiness on him, and on Poe too back in the kitchen with his two cousins. Business had been steady since they’d taken over.

“Nervous about your secret interview tomorrow?” He quirked an eyebrow with undisguised interest.

“No,” Rey lied, pressing the sandy tan of her upper chest against the smooth, worn wooden bar top as if its familiarity could halt her heart that had immediately threatened to push out of her chest at the mention of what was coming. She’d kept the details to herself, worried about rejection.

“It’s just a part time kitchenhand position, nothing too exciting. And I know you both said I could come back and waitress here if it doesn’t work out – thank you again by the way, _so much_. But hopefully it’s a foot in a bigger door, you know?”

Finn inclined his head of side faded, black curls and smiled – a small, soft thing that said he didn’t believe one word of her claimed lack of nerves but would let her do this her way. “You’ll be great. Remember, even if they’re some fancy place they offered you the trial so they are interested.”

He patted the wood in front of her. “I’ll get Poe to make you some rellenitos de plátano to round things off tonight, assuming you’ve still got room.”

She flashed him a thankful grin, murmuring that there was _always_ room as he was waved over by a couple leaning themselves against the other end of the bar and consulting the menu. Dameron’s was starting to fill up, one of the few places in this area open very late and not just for quiet drinking – their weekend live music and dancing from 10pm had long been a drawcard.

As predictable as it was, she could usually be soothed by food – by happy excess after a few early years of scarcity. Especially in lieu of anything more exciting to divert her attention tonight.

Stabbing at a clove of garlic and running a hand through her mid-length chestnut hair she thought about Kyber. A large, popular restaurant that had recently gone through a shake-up and was rebuilding some of its staffing – especially the management. There had been rumours that the previous head chef had come afoul of the law for something or other, she wasn’t sure what, and this was part of her reasoning for keeping her cards close to her chest. She didn’t want to worry people in case it didn’t even work out.

The incomer to fill the position was supposed to be younger – known for years as a wunderkind and coming from further afield.

If she’d even heard his name she’d forgotten it, hadn’t paid much attention – just happy the restaurant’s problems apparently made them very open to taking on new staff. She’d always been more interested in the results of cooking than the personalities anyway and had figured that perhaps she’d like the industry as an alternative if her increasingly frustrating chemistry degree didn’t pan out.

Long hours in labs and trying to sit still and pay attention in lectures were a lot different to liking something in her own time, she’d discovered. Being on her feet had always been better – why not combine two loves?

Crunching the clove and going for another, Rey was broken from her solitary musing by a large body sliding onto the bar stool directly beside her. Most customers preferred the more comfortable tables and booths and there were empty stools along the bar.

Hmm… she thought, guessing where this was heading.

Rey turned slowly, skewered clove held up in front of her like a possible shield she wasn’t sure quite how she’d use, brushing as she did so against a very solid, large thigh.

A mountain of a man smirked down at her, heated amusement glinting in his dark eyes.

His half-full glass of red wine looking ridiculous held delicately by an oversized, ivory toned hand as he leant on the bar top and angled himself toward her.

“Is your name Allison?” he asked in a smooth, teasing baritone. Assuming she’d heard right – she wrinkled her brow in confusion. “Because seeing you enjoying this food tonight, especially these cloves, I’m _crushing_ on you.”

He pressed his full lips together, his eyes flicking to the skewer in her fingers, lingering on her mouth then settling back on her own.

Rey blinked for a moment. “No,” she replied immediately, before taking a longer pause to consider what she was holding.

“ _Oh_ , the garlic. _Allicin_. Very good.”

She raised an eyebrow and he dimpled rather devastatingly in response like he was thrilled he’d been right to try her with the reference.

“Hmm, cute accent too,” he tilted his head, leaning further toward her.

Rey let her gaze roam conspicuously over his immaculately styled, chin-length, dark chocolate waves. His few moles picked out against his pale face. The dark denim that strained over thighs that had come to bracket her much rattier and smaller jeans-clad knees. The way his soft and expensive looking navy wool jumper seemed to barely contain the sheer size of him. His massive, polished brown leather wingtips.

She popped the clove in her mouth with a deliberate crunch and let her own hazel eyes return his interest, noting how his throat bobbed and his gaze returned to her mouth.

_This_ was that something more exciting to divert her attention, then.

Some _one_ a bit older and hopefully more experienced than her fellow undergraduates – he’d do nicely.

“Ben Solo,” he offered with a large paw, searching her face as if for some kind of reaction.

But Rey was focussed on how yes, his hand did engulf hers rather pleasingly – and the shiver up the back of her neck.

She had visions of what she hoped he could do with those somewhat callused fingers covered with many old, silvered scars, and some newer and more ruddy.

Hands that did some kind of work, hands that were hopefully dextrous.

Rey pressed her thighs together more tightly.

“Rey Johnson, that’s R-e-y. What brings you here? Haven’t see you before in Dameron’s.”

Ben ran his thumb along her knuckles with a heated look and some secret flicker of amusement before giving her back her hand and taking a long pull of his wine.

“Rey...” He seemed to turn her name over in his mouth. “Suits your freckles. I’m starting at— a new position, tomorrow. I’ve been out of town for a while. Been meaning to try the food here for a couple of years.”

“Oh me too! About the first thing.” Rey was excited to have someone with whom to share in her pre-work nerves, pushing the bowl of olives and garlic and the remaining garnachas toward him.

He smiled again, popping one of the little fried tortilla mounds whole into his mouth with an appreciative noise before stabbing himself a garlic clove with a wink.

She cleared her dry throat, feeling her cheeks heat as she watched his lips work around the food.

“I’m nervous for tomorrow to tell you the truth. But it sounds like you’d heard of this place? The boys will be pleased.”

“In a manner of speaking,” replied Ben. “I ate Kes’ cooking frequently after school.”

He gave a low laugh at her surprise.

“Poe and I grew up together. Lost touch for a while. Had to see if the food was as good as I remembered when I heard he’d taken over.”

He crunched the garlic, raising an eyebrow. “It is, but the scenery’s even better.”

Rey ran her finger around her now empty glass and swept her loose hair over her furthest shoulder, noting how his eyes tracked her movements and her bare neck.

“Big foodie?”

“You could say that,” he chuckled with more of that private amusement in his eyes, leaning forward to ghost his garlicky breath against her ear – a match for her own.

“Don’t think I’ve seen someone have quite such a… _deep_ reaction to carnitas before,” he teased.

Rey shivered, and emboldened by the knowledge he’d been watching her for a while, murmured back. “I don’t like to hide my reactions to anything I enjoy.”

She felt his arm come to rest around the back of her stool, caught a waft of spicy, rich cologne.

“I’d love to test your claim in person, Rey,” he said thickly, voice laced with promise.

She considered her rellenitos de plátano yet to arrive, the second glass of wine she’d promised herself… and the warmth of his large arm behind her, the solid potential of his knitwear-covered chest.

Nodding up at him she ran a hand up the denim of his thigh. Ben’s breath hitched and he threw back the rest of his glass in one swallow.

* * *

He _had_ seemed the type to drive something ostentatious but she’d not expected a clearly lovingly restored red classic with black bonnet stripes, Rey thought as the door handle dug in against the waistband of her jeans.

Ben kissed with the same confident determination with which he’d approached her – a happy discovery. His wide, solid body radiating heat as he pressed her against the passenger side on the dark street, big hands spanning her waist and lifting so her scuffed ballet flats dangled and she was a better height to meet his mouth.

He ground the hard and generously sized bulge in his jeans deliciously against her fly, adding to the warmth throbbing there – the desire that pooled low in her belly with each roll of his tongue in her mouth and nip and lick against her lips.

“Sure you don’t mind the garlic?” she gasped out as he moved to mouth the sensitive spot below her ear, feeling a flutter of nerves under his intensity even as her hands ran over his shoulders and through his silky, dark waves.

“ _Definitely_ don’t mind a reminder you enjoyed a meal,” Ben chuffed against her skin, thrusting his hips when needy noises pushed up from her chest.

“I taste the same. Can think of all sorts of tastes I’d be partial to on you… fresh blackberries, perfectly grilled duck, crème pâtissière…”

He licked her neck with hot breaths like that’s exactly what he was imagining.

There was something wry about his tone again, like he was sharing a joke she wasn’t picking up. But as he crowded her harder against his car and a hand crept up to stroke her pebbled nipple over her thin, yellow, thrifted blouse she couldn’t find it in herself to care – good, so he liked food, just like she did.

There was one thing though—

“Ben the bloody door handle of this ridiculous car is bruising my arse.”

He choked out a laugh. “The bloody door handle of this _mint_ 1970 Chevy Chevelle LS6 you mean. I didn’t spend hours with sandpaper for this disrespect, my dad would have a fit!”

But his eyes were smiling as he gently set her feet on the ground and blatantly adjusted his tented jeans. “My place then? I promise my bed is a lot more comfortable.”

Rey grinned and stepped aside to let him open the door. Yes, tonight was shaping up to be rather better than she’d hoped.

“Bet you need a bed the size of my entire kitchen to fit all of you,” she teased as she buckled herself in, settling in to the smell of leather and aged vinyl. The engine roared to life – vibrating under her thighs.

“ _Nice_ ,” she breathed, and Ben’s answering grin was boyish and thrilled.

He stroked the wide, smooth steering wheel. “I have a perfectly respectable super king I’ll have you know. You saying I’m big?” His glance was one of undisguised hunger.

“Well _part_ of you felt that way and I’d like to find out if I’m right, are we going to just sit here or what?” She squeezed his thigh.

Ben’s laugh blended into the Chevy’s purr.

* * *

Ben’s apartment also wasn’t a surprise, what little she’d seen of it in a blur on the way to his bedroom.

Wide twenty-second floor windows and designer furniture interspersed with moving boxes. He really was newly back in town.

She’d have to ask what he did that clearly paid so well, especially when he didn’t have the soft, unmarred hands of someone in commerce – but his lips and tongue laving at her nipples were quite distracting.

His shirtless, muscled torso above her naked form stretched out in his – yes, very large – bed pressing against her in _just_ the right, insistent way.

Rey certainly felt that delicious insistence as she moaned with two of his thick fingers crooked inside her cunt, sliding in her slick arousal as she bucked her hips and held on to his hair.

His throaty noises around her clit like _he_ was the one being pleasured – dilated, dark eyes watching her.

She supposed licking her must be doing a lot for him from the way he rolled his hips almost compulsively against his mattress. That thick cock beneath him was indeed proportional and had been leaking with need as she’d pulled open his fly, running her thumb over the velvet skin where his slit peeked out, making him jolt.

Gagging lightly on his heavy dick, cheeks stretched as she sucked around him, Rey looked up when he smoothed her hair back out of her face. His other hand tensing against the back of her head like he really wanted to let himself go but was holding off.

Ben was half lidded, looking down at her with something like awe on his angular features and breathing raggedly as she knelt between his knees. His chin still glistening where she’d come hard against his reddened mouth.

Hers had salivated at the idea of returning the favour and she’d practically dragged him into position – or at least tried to, considering what he likely weighed.

“Shit, _Jesus_ your tongue— You need to stop or I’m not gonna— Fuck, wanna come inside you,” he gritted out, easing back her jaw with a firm grip and reaching to open his nightstand.

“Been thinking about you doing that since you slurped up that first fucking quail egg with your little mouth. Looked just as good as I thought it would stretched around my dick.”

Rey wiped saliva off her cheeks and grinned at him, drinking in his praise. She’d definitely never had this sort of feedback in experiences before – never made someone half-wild with wanting her.

Ben met her gaze with a twinkle of the heated amusement she was starting to associate with him – like he was seeing what he could get away with saying and Rey being into it was spurring him on. But she also noticed he tore open the gold packet and rolled the condom down his length with shaking hands.

She let herself be pulled up almost impatiently under her armpits, arranged above him with his cock resting between the globes of her backside as he lay back against his pillows.

“So do you want to—” he started at the same time as she said, “I’ll start on top—”

His amused noise turned into a strangled grunt as she rolled her hips to drag her pussy wetly down his length.

“If I’m going to impale myself on this very big man I’ve just met I’d like to be the one controlling it, at least at first,” she dimpled.

Ben’s chest shook with laughter as he supported her waist and she raised up to notch him inside, but he gazed up at her with something intense and heady.

The first slide of him inside her was a sensation of complete, stretching fullness moving slowly down her slick walls. Rey threw her head back with a low exhale, taking him inch by inch, half afraid of looking down and seeing how much more there was to go. Ben’s noises and cursing suggested he had no such reservations.

Finally her splayed vulva met the coarse, dark hair around his base.

She breathed out with a little whine, looked down at him and wet her lips. Felt herself pulse, trying to really squeeze around him and finding she absolutely couldn’t – there wasn’t room.

“Bloody hell, _that’s a lot_ — oh fuck...”

“Yeah? Shit, _baby_ that accent. It’s— you’re tight. _Really tight_.” Ben’s voice was shaky and he almost panted with his mouth ajar. Fingers digging in to the creamier toned meat of her hips with restraint, dick twitching inside her.

“Yeah.” She lifted up and slid back down only half his length experimentally, his thighs flexing like a predatory animal waiting to spring as he swore under his breath and let her ride him slowly to adjust.

“Ok,” she breathed, tracing a finger down the dark line of hair beneath his navel, enjoying the way his muscles jumped in its wake. “Ok, you feel _really_ good. You can fuck me now, Ben.”

His dark eyes flashed.

Bouncing on his thick cock, more full than she’d ever been, her short cries of pleasure matching his bitten back grunts – yup, all these endorphins would definitely help tomorrow.

Or maybe it was already tomorrow – she had no idea of the time.

Didn’t much care either with each wet drag of him inside her, the way she throbbed with each rub against the bundle of nerves inside her entrance and the way larger clenches of her walls pulled choked noises out of Ben’s chest.

The way his glazed eyes couldn’t seem to settle between her flushed and open-mouthed enjoyment, her bouncing tits he’d declared were the _perfect fucking size_ for his mouth, or watching his dick plunge back inside her with each rough tug of his hands on her hips.

But she could tell he was still holding back, saw the coiled tension in his arms and felt it beneath her thighs.

“Can we cha—” was all she got out before he was flipping her, rolling her beneath him.

He clasped one of her hands, pinning it above her head, and pulled up her thigh against her chest.

“Wanna really just… give it to you. Just fuck you into the mattress, Rey. That ok? You gonna take it all in this little pussy?” he asked softly, huskily, curving himself down against her ear.

She’d begun to jolt under him, air forced from her lungs, before she’d even finished nodding.

Ben was enthusiastic and skilled, built like a tank and handling her just a bit roughly – hands demanding as they moulded her the way he liked. Messy with need and, as she was discovering, unashamedly vocal.

It was _perfect_ , she wanted to _know_ she was really being fucked and rarely did another student manage to do that. She wanted to really _feel_ desired and not have it too gentle – that seemed to be his inclination too.

His thrusts were deep and rapid, doing exactly what he’d promised as he pressed her just the right side of crushing beneath him and zeroed in against that delicious, sensitive spot.

“Oh God, Ben— just like that!” she hiccupped, gripping his sweat-dampened side with her free hand, her pulse and their slick noises roaring in her ears as he pounded into her.

“You gonna come for me again?” he grunted, and she could only whine in response as she felt it building, her pussy tightening and growing wetter around him. Slightly annoyed he was too tall to easily kiss like this.

“ _Fuck_ I can feel it, you’re close. That’s it Rey, _that’s_ my girl, come on me again baby.”

She had only a second to wonder at all his endearments before her back was trying ineffectually to arch beneath his weight, her toes curling and mouth opening in a hoarse yell as her vision fractured and blurred and she shook with pleasure around him.

“ _Oh fuck_ , Rey— like a vice, so good baby— fucking _perfect_ , goddamn,” he gritted out, tightening their clasped hands and thrusting more haphazardly as she began to twitch and relax into bonelessness…

Before he drove himself deep, tensing and making a guttural noise. Hissing out a breath as he tremored inside her.

Rey wiggled feeling back into her fingers as he released his vice-like hold, dropped her thigh, and stroked his hand over her hair.

“ _Shit_. Glad I tried a bad kitchen line on you. Glad you were being honest too about not hiding your enjoyment,” he rumbled with contented humour, easing himself out of her and tying off the condom before he softened.

Rey’s muzzy head registered something that sounded relevant but she found herself muttering, “allicin’s a chiral… molecule not superimposable on its mirror image.”

“Didn’t understand a word of that,” Ben chuffed as he pulled her against him and settled his soft, dark duvet over them both, taking care to tuck it against her side.

“I’m usually thinking about garlic from a slightly different angle. You a scientist?”

“First year chemistry,” Rey mumbled sleepily against his warm pec and felt his thumb still where it was tracing circles into her hip.

His swallow jolted his torso.

“Sharp cookie then. But… uh, so… how old are you?”

She huffed and smacked his firm stomach under the bedding. “ _Twenty_ , plenty old enough don’t worry. Why, how old are you?”

“Fuck,” Ben made a little disbelieving noise. “Not that you look any older I admit, which is all on me, but still... I’m fucking thirty.”

He tensed as if expecting some reaction. Rey just slung her arm over his middle.

“That’s fine. With age comes experience, so I’d heard. Seems about right. Do you mind that much?”

“Christ,” he laughed, and she glanced up to see him rubbing a hand over his face, but grinning.

“No,” he kissed the top of her head. “I admit I can’t mind all that much… now that I’ve got you naked and well fucked in my bed.” He gave her a squeeze.

Rey giggled and snuggled in, thinking she’d question him more in the morning when her eyelids weren’t drooping quite so insistently. Finally find out what it was he did.

* * *

Some horrifying, incessant beeping broke through a lovely dream Rey was having about being surrounded by something vast and warm and snuffling into her neck.

“Hnnuggghh—” she tried, flailing an arm, and heard an answering rough groan.

Waitressing hours – and the weekend noise filtering through to the cheap apartment floors above – at Dameron’s had made her accustomed to both sleeping late and earplugs.

“ _Shit_ , sorry, sorry. Didn’t reset it, don’t even need to be in until eleven. This is a much better use of my morning than the gym…” was muttered with offensive alertness before the hell-sound stopped and she was pulled back against the large, naked Ben it turned out was no dream.

He pressed an apologetic kiss against her head.

Rey herself wasn’t needed for her trial shift until late afternoon and with no classes on a Saturday she’d be damned if she was going to get up while it was still dark – certainly not from this extremely comfortable bed that put any futon to shame.

She tugged Ben’s duvet further up under her chin and screwed shut her eyes, just before a large, warm hand slid its way up to cover her chest and rub with the optimism of a morning person.

Her hair was nuzzled off the back of her neck, her nape mouthed with a rasp of stubble. Something unmistakable pressing lower, hardening against her cheeks. She felt him smiling against her skin.

“If we’re both awake…” he rumbled hopefully, breathing against her ear.

“When it’s _absolutely_ no longer dark out, then yes,” she grumped.

“Ahh student hours,” he chuckled, and settled back close behind her.

* * *

At 8am it was still annoyingly early but Rey was busy moaning into his pillow, drool trickling out the corner of her mouth where her head was turned to watch Ben’s flexing, corded forearms as he moved on top of her. He’d really been quite convincing.

His grunts and the jolting slaps of his bracketing thighs against her backside filled the morning quiet – city noises more muffled twenty two floors below and behind some probably fancy double glazing.

Nice way to live, she thought while his dick dragged in that _very_ good way and her mind turned more foggy as she edged closer to something delicious. Nice way to start her day too.

“You like that? My cock finding that good spot in your sweet little cunt? Yeah it is, _fuck baby_ you take me so well,” he rasped, still with a morning roughness to his voice.

Still with the roughness to his words and actions she could really, _really_ get used to.

Rey gurgled and clenched in answer as he pounded her against the warm bedding.

* * *

Settling gingerly on a stool against Ben’s breakfast bar, his enormous t-shirt tucked beneath her decidedly tender bits, she watched as he rifled through a box labelled ‘kitchen 6’ beside her.

“What’re you looking for?” she mumbled into her coffee.

Ben unfurled himself, eyes lit up in triumph, brandishing the wooden handle of a heavy-duty, almost flat, cast iron pan.

His bed hair stuck out endearingly around his head.

“I don’t want you to leave here without getting your number and if one thing was very clear last night, you respond well to food. So I’m thinking pancakes.”

Rey chortled, “A bribe?”

He gave a crooked grin and a half shrug.

“Well it’ll work, not that you needed one. Give’us your phone then. Finn was just saying that the way to my heart is through my stomach.”

“That’s convenient…” Ben muttered almost to himself, flushing slightly and rubbing the back of his neck. “That the barman?”

“Yeah, Poe’s partner.”

“Shit, I should really message Poe today, say I’ll make it up to him for blowing him off…”

Rey snorted at his bashful look. “He’ll understand. _I’ll_ be the one who gets teased for it. Small world, I’m living in a pokey flat two floors above their restaurant, from when I started waitressing for Kes and Shara. Finn and I have been friends for a while, they met through me.”

“Hmm,” Ben replied softly, looking at her with warm assessment. “Probably would have met you somehow then, sweetheart.”

She smiled with her head down as she added her details to his contacts, stomach giving an unfamiliar, giddy kind of swoop.

He looked deeply pleased as he took back his phone. “Good. Now about that bribe.”

Rey let her gaze drift lower, and more overtly, down his flexing torso to his dick hanging heavily but soft between his thighs. Ben had no shyness about nudity, that’s for sure.

“That kitchen-safe?” She raised a brow.

Ben shot a hand behind the counter and returned with a distinctly professional looking apron that he wound with practised ease around his waist. Giving her a spin to display a snowy arse crack and darkly haired hamstrings.

Rey snorted, which seemed to please him.

“I feel invested now in you being adequately protected,” she teased, still vaguely concerned about his top half.

“That so? I like the sound of that,” Ben growled, caging her in on her counter seat for a long coffee-flavoured kiss before taking up his place before a large glass bowl.

He moved like this was all second nature, in a pale expanse of shifting muscle. She sipped her coffee and enjoyed the view, becoming aware of how many more professional touches were in his kitchen.

The wide rows of burners, double oven and industrial looking extractor. The pull out waste bins in just the right position for him to reach once he’d cracked the eggs single-handed. Just how many boxes labelled kitchen there were.

Something prickled in the back of her mind.

“You make this look easy,” she said slowly.

“Shit I’d hope so,” Ben chuffed. “Did my time as a breakfast line cook back in the day. Don’t do so much hands on everyday now, especially not for a while still in my new role I imagine. But it doesn’t go away.”

_Oh_. It was obvious in hindsight. His specific comments about food, the marks on his hands and – when she’d seen him shirtless – his forearms that were clearly old run-ins with knives or burns.

But she decided to find out more before telling him about her own plans to dip her toes in the water, feeling a little outclassed.

“What’s your new role?”

“Executive Chef at a difficult place. The owners sought me out after their last guy turned out to be doing some light money laundering in his personal time.” He gave a short, cynical laugh and flipped a pancake with one hand while he glanced earnestly at her face.

“I was ready to move home too, sold my restaurant. What they offered was _very_ enticing and with its past reputation there’s a lot of potential, but I’m having to do a lot of rebuilding. Chef Snoke’s management style seems to have tainted the whole business. Owners had to fire heaps of people after he was carted off. Shit, I only found a pastry chef I’m happy with _two days_ ago, it had all got a bit toxic. You’d have some idea of what that can be like from the server’s end, or have heard about it if you’ve been lucky enough to avoid it. I’m not into that old-style ‘fear me and loathe me’ type of kitchen, it’s fucking unnecessary if you know what you’re doing. About as out of date as fiddly foams, just more macho.”

Rey snorted and he smiled boyishly at her. Like he wanted her approval – her chest fluttered.

Remembering the close-knit family style experience of waitressing at Dameron’s, she’d never want to work in a place like Ben was describing without any power to change it.

The coffee must have been sharpening her mind, finally, and she judged it a good time now to mention her own plans.

“You know, I heard something like that about the restaurant I’m doing a trial at later today. Bet it’s common though. It’s just for a kitchenhand position that fits around my studies.” She fiddled self-consciously with the t-shirt hem as Ben turned his full and currently unreadable attention on her.

“I’ve been thinking I might like working with food more than I’m currently enjoying my degree, but not just waitressing. I don’t know how well I’d do in a lab all day.”

“What did you say the place was called?” he asked slowly, a furrow in his brow.

“I didn’t,” Rey laughed. “It’s called Kyber.”

“Ow, fuck!” Ben yelped as he dropped the pan with a loud clang back on the burner and then tried to grab the handle with a wrist against its exposed metal tip above the wood. “Shit!”

Rey made noises of alarm and almost dropped her mug but he just moved the stack of completed pancakes to the breakfast bar and stuck his arm under the cold tap, like that was far from his most pressing concern. Working his lips together and seeming to have some kind of internal argument.

He took a deep breath.

“Uh, Rey… so that’s the same restaurant.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Yeah. _Kyber_. I’m going to be heading it up from today.”

“ _Oh shit_. I just slept with the bloody head chef before my first day? Who is _kind of a big deal?_ ”

He dipped his head. “Twice, I seem to recall…”

“BEN!”

“Ok, ok,” he smiled nervously. “It’s— ok, we’ll sort something out.” A scowl settled over his expression. “Ah _fuck_ , I mean, I don’t know if I even want you in an environment like—”

He clamped his mouth shut, turning off the water and running a wet hand with aggravation over his face like he was itching to keep speaking.

Rey bristled but she also saw his point. She _had_ just been thinking how awful it sounded. And his protective concern was quite… nice, in an unexpected way.

A sliver of hot, eye-prickling frustration shot through her at continuing just with waitressing until whenever the next opportunity like Kyber was unlikely enough to come along… followed by guilt – the Damerons had always been so good to her, including when she’d left her last home at eighteen with no where else to go.

Her face must have showed disappointment because Ben hurried around the counter and pulled her into his bare chest.

“ _Hey_ ,” he stroked her tousled hair, dampening it. “Hey, no, we’ll sort something out. Obviously I don’t want to stop seeing you, I _really_ don’t want to stop seeing you… I’d like it to be more than casual. And I’m sorry for overstepping—”

Warmth coiled in her at the promise of something greater than just one night and she let herself interrupt, winding her arms around his waist. “No I get it, Kyber sounds bloody awful unless you’re in a position to throw your weight around. And I don’t weigh _nearly_ as much as you, probably as much as your leg.”

His chest shook against her head.

“ _And_ … I want to keep seeing you too. Not just casually.” She tilted her head up and saw him smiling down at her, hopeful expression making him look much younger.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

His mouth was tender as his tongue slowly traced the seam of her lips and dipped inside. Her stomach grumbled.

“Ok let’s talk while we eat, I don’t want my bribe rescinded,” Ben joked, looking like his face couldn’t settle between elated and worried.

They ate silently for a while. Well, apart from her noises of appreciation which saw him adjust the front of his apron beside her.

“If you keep sounding like that I’m going to have trouble making my eleven o’clock. I was at the table behind you most of last night and let’s just say it was _very_ hard to concentrate on even the Damerons’ great food.”

He bumped his thighs deliberately against hers and Rey giggled at his heated gaze, feeling déjà vu – a more domestic replication of last night.

She licked a dribble of maple syrup slowly from her little finger (only pure, high-grade, dark organic for Ben, of course).

“Don’t cook so well then, or I’ll never stop sounding like this whenever I eat anything you make.”

He made a soft noise in the back of his throat. “I don’t know if that’s future motivation or current punishment when I’m pushed for time like today. Ok, ok back to the important subject.” He looked up at the ceiling, avoiding Rey’s rather excessive mouthing of a piece of buttered pancake.

“I’ve had an idea, let me run this by you.”

She perked up.

“Have you heard of Tico, the Vietnamese restaurant? It’s won some awards.”

Rey nodded slowly, never having been – it was probably out of her price range and certainly out of her current dress code – but knowing the name.

“Rose is the owner and head chef and we go _way_ back. Haven’t seen each other in a little while but she’s a good sort, it’s known as a great place to work. More of a big family vibe like Poe’s bar, even if it’s a bit more upmarket.”

Rey curled her toes against the side of the island with a growing sense of hope and stared fixedly at her plate, heart thumping.

“I can see if she’s got any part time positions going, butter her up. You’d like it there and I think she’d like you.”

He laughed as she clambered to straddle him, a low pleased sound, letting his big hands settle to cup full across her behind and squeeze.

“Thank you,” she breathed between maple-flavoured kisses. “Yeah that’d be great.”

******

Rey sighed a needy little noise in sleep as a large warm body pushed her down against the mattress, filling her just right, his hands finding—

The cold morning air against her exposed upper back finally became insistent and she muttered as the first tendrils of wakefulness tugged at her, pulling the super king daisy-print duvet closer.

Coming back to herself slowly she realised she wasn’t as warm as usual, even under all their bedding. Where was her human furnace? She pushed out one slow, sleepy arm to pat Ben’s side of the bed – what she could reach of it. But he was hardly small enough to hide and the sheets there were already cool.

Rey frowned against her yellow pillowcase.

It was one of his days off – for both of them actually – and he shouldn’t be designing any new menu items. Kyber was doing well, he’d said everyone working there needed time to adjust now that the kinks had worked out. He’d also said he wasn’t going to the gym today either.

Where he _should_ be was large and hot and nuzzling sleepily against her neck so she could scoot herself down and rub her interest against his—

Hmph.

Rey was awake now and really settling in to the idea of having an annoyed morning. Committed to being grumpy about it, thinking about snappy lines to express her disappointment – rehearsing some petty argument.

But rolling over and seeing her wonderfully hideous hamburger lamp in the growing light from behind the window blinds came with an awareness she was being quite ridiculous.

She hummed to herself, smiling as she remembered how insistent Ben had been that she add her own touches when she’d moved in – especially having learned exactly why it was so important to her to feel a sense of permanence and home.

Rey fumbled on her nightstand for her phone. 9:12am. Alright, respectable.

Tico, mercifully, was only open as late as an extended dinner and she no longer needed earplugs.

There were two messages already, both from Rose. Effervescent, outgoing Rose who was now a dear friend but also Ben’s equal in early morning alertness and running well on minimum sleep – the largest part of the reason Rey made sure her phone had an automatic overnight ‘do not disturb’.

**Rose, 6:22am** : Good morning gooood mooooorning! Jannah & I def on for tonight. I admit I already took her there last week buuuuuut she loved it so much & really hit it off with Finn so it was worth it. She wants to have our engagement party there now lol. Think Poe would do us a buñuelo tower??

**Rose, 6:30am** : Realised you’re probably still asleep… soooooorrryyy xoxo

Rey snorted and typed a reply.

**Rey, 9:14am** : Lol that’s 100% why I have DND on. They would LOVE it if you held it at Dameron’s, Poe & his cousins can make anything. Finn would mix you a themed cocktail too. Wear shoes you’re comfy dancing in tonight!

**Rose, 9:16am** : Sounds perfect, I’ll tell her. Does Ben know about the dancing yet? I can’t even find words for how much I’m looking forward to seeing that.

Rey smiled secretly to herself, thinking about her plans for the night, when she heard large footfalls and Ben appeared around their bedroom door. In only his apron of course, hair tousled and bearing a laden tray.

“Morning sweetheart, breakfast delivery for my love.” He smiled in that way that squeezed her heart each time – wide and crinkling under his eyes, like there was nothing he’d rather be looking at. “You’re in a good mood baby.”

“I wasn’t actually. I woke up grumpy when you weren’t next to me and I wanted to jump your bones, but then I realised I was being ridiculous and started chatting to Rose. Oh this looks yum!”

Ben rested the tray on her table, blocking her view of it and leaning down to cage her in on the bed with a heated look. “Jump me, huh? That can be arranged…”

He edged the duvet down to pool around her waist, exposing her bare chest with a rumbling noise in his throat.

Rey dodged his lips, laughing. “Nope, too late. Feed me first.” She craned her neck to see what comestibles were on offer.

“God, you’re more single-minded than Armitage when he’s tempering chocolate. Right, so on today’s menu is…”

Ben gave a twirl, presenting his typically bare arse crack beneath his apron and beginning what looked like an oversized and somewhat lumbering strip tease.

“Coffee…” He stuck out a leg. “Because you’re just so _charming_ without it. And matsoni with fresh berries and dad’s honey…”

Rey giggled as Ben pulled loose the bowed apron ties, thinking that he was adorably proud of his home cultures and ferments and he really _did_ have great legs.

“And olive oil grilled sourdough – Jessika’s new rye starter has been thriving so I think we’ll go ahead and add it as bâtards in Kyber…”

He tugged off the apron and flourished it aloft in a hand, displaying his naked back.

“With chèvre and the black garlic confit.”

He spun around in all his glory to see Rey already eating a piece of toast. “Hey! What a rude customer.”

“I’m hungry.” She shrugged, grinning messily around a mouthful. “Pretty good view though.”

He settled in beside her, taking his own food and watching her mouth in a now familiar way while she ate – relishing her appreciative noises as always.

His eyes twinkled and his throat bobbed.

“You’ve got a little something…” Ben leaned close, large thumb hovering by the corner of her lips before he swooped in for a kiss.

“Hmm smooth” she tried to say but it came out more like “hmmoph” as he deepened it – lips insistent, stealing her breath and her focus, heating her skin.

A hand crept over her thigh, coming to stroke lightly against her still wet vulva. Her breath hitched and he made a pleased noise.

It was a few long moments before Ben pulled back with reddened lips, gazing at her with glazed adoration before grabbing her hand to feel the bulging duvet over his lap.

“Is it strange that the taste of garlic on you always makes me hard? Hungry for anything else yet?”

**Author's Note:**

> 💜 Kudos and comments always appreciated 💜
> 
> I made myself hungry looking up Guatemalan foods... pretty sure there is no Guatemalan restaurant in my whole country which is deeply tragic.
> 
> So, for that reason I'm going to gloss some foods (& any excuse for food pictures imo). Also apologies if there are any internet search -related inaccuracies, feel free to let me know.
> 
> [Chile relleno](https://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2012/2/13/0/MN0603H_chiles-rellenos_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.826.620.suffix/1396041975501.jpeg).
> 
> [Garnachas](https://www.tureceta.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/garnachas-guatemaltecas-1.jpg).
> 
> [Chicharrones y carnitas](https://www.guatemala.com/fotos/2019/02/Carnitas-y-chicharrones-885x500.jpg).
> 
> [Moronga](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MorongaGuatemala.png).
> 
> Boquitas = 'little mouths' i.e. like tapas.
> 
> [Rioja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rioja_\(wine\)).
> 
> [Rellenitos de plátano](https://aprende.guatemala.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Receta-para-hacer-rellenitos-de-pl%C3%A1tano1.jpg).
> 
> [Allicin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allicin).
> 
> [1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6](https://hips.hearstapps.com/pop.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/05/768x516/54cae42460b4e_-_american-muscle-facts-07-0312-de.jpg?resize=980:*).
> 
> [Chirality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chirality_\(chemistry\)).
> 
> [Buñuelo](https://craftlog.com/m/i/8011430=s1280=h960).
> 
> [Matsoni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matzoon). My long-term matsoni culture recently died as a result of my holy-shit-pandemic depressiveness…
> 
> Why am I in love with the idea of beekeeper Han? And Hux as an uptight pastry chef.
> 
> Bâtard - shorter and squatter baguette.


End file.
